


Revelations

by HyperKid



Series: The Fey King [3]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Completed, Crack, Frumpkin the Fey King, How they found out, Humour, Molly literally doesn’t know different, Other, Short ficlets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-07
Updated: 2020-01-14
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:00:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 4,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22164454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HyperKid/pseuds/HyperKid
Summary: When did the rest of the Nein find out that Frumpkin was more than he seems? Well, there were a series of moments... and this is them.
Relationships: Polynein
Series: The Fey King [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1479752
Comments: 80
Kudos: 306
Collections: Find Familiars





	1. Jester

**Author's Note:**

> HK: Hello! These are all gonna be short and silly up until we get to the last one, which will be when Caleb finds out that everyone else knows.  
> Mollymauk: I’m looking forward to that one.  
> HK: So am I! And of course, not ~everyone~ knows knows, so a couple characters may be packed in together.  
> Mollymauk: I think your problem was trying to make these big and long.  
> HK: Yeah it’s definitely just right for little crack snippets. I don’t expect any of the previews to have more than 1000 words.  
> Mollymauk: That should help you get them out fast?  
> HK: You’d think... 
> 
> WARNINGS!! Not really anything! 
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing and no one but Frumpkin is ~definitely~ an actual archfey..

Jester knew pretty much right from the start. Frumpkin hadn’t exactly been expecting personal attention from the divine planes, and once he realised he had it, it didn’t seem especially worth dealing with. The Traveler was the kind of god he preferred anyway; irreverent, casual, and playful. 

And the Traveler clearly found the whole thing extremely entertaining. 

When it became clear that they would be travelling as a group, he made sure to take a moment and inform his cleric. 

Now, when Frumpkin knew that Jester knew, that was the fun part of the story. Jester volunteered to take a night’s watch, late enough that all the others would be asleep. Of course the rest agreed, and Beau shook her awake in the small hours while Fjord woke Molly. 

Rolling out of bed, Jester glanced around their small campsite until she caught sight of Frumpkin. The cat was sat by the fire, tail tucked around his toes and watching them all serenely. 

A broad grin stole across Jester’s lips and she came carefully around to sit beside the cat and scoop him into her lap. He made a mildly confused noise, then settled as she began to scratch behind his ears. When he seemed to be resigned to her presence, Jester leaned down to whisper. 

“Are you really an archfey?” 

Frumpkin stilled, a purr dying in his throat. 

There was no question how she knew of course. Divinity hung at her shoulders like a cloak, her god’s touch visible to any with the eyes to see. For a moment, he considered denying it.

Then he blinked very slowly and nodded. 

Jester immediately giggled in delight, promptly snuggling him close and squeezing. Which was... not exactly the expected response? Being smushed into boobs was not how most reacted to an archfey. 

Initially. 

“I knew it! Does Caleb know?” It took an effort for Jester to keep her voice to a whisper so as not to wake the rest of the group. Molly was watching her a little oddly, but most of his attention was still on the night. Keeping watch. 

Which was probably for the best, since Jester absolutely wasn’t. 

Frumpkin considered how to answer for a moment. Shook his head. Frowned up at the tiefling as best he could. 

“Don’t tell him.” It wasn’t much above a whisper, but Jester gasped in delight, fingers scritching through his fur. 

“I won’t! I promise! But can I be there when you tell him? I wanna see!” She didn’t seem about to stop petting him either, which was nice. 

A lot of people got weird around archfey; expecting to be melted at any second or some other such silly thing. Because it happened a lot, sure, but cowering or being deeply suspicious wasn’t going to make it happen ~less~. 

He considered a moment longer, then nodded again and pushed his head back into her hand. She obediently scratched behind his ears, bubbling with glee. 

Which was, incidentally, how Molly found out as well. Though at the time he didn’t really have the life experience to know that talking cats were actually unusual. 


	2. Caduceus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything talks to Caduceus okay?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HK: This just in, I apparently have a massive issue with short things at the moment?? I keep looking at wordcount and not at what I’m doing?   
> Mollymauk: *gasps* You’ve assimilated from Clayleb week!   
> HK: I have! Fucking numbers!   
> Mollymauk: Does it feel done?   
> HK: I literally cannot fathom what else I’d add and it... feels done? I guess?   
> Mollymauk: The shorter you keep them, the faster you can do the whole set.   
> HK: True! And what I’m really looking forward to is the end. *plotting fingers*   
> Mollymauk: It’s going to be interesting.   
> HK: I certainly hope so! 
> 
> WARNINGS!! None today, just some Caddy thoughts~ 
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing and no one and Frumpkin is definitely an archfey.

As far as Caduceus knew, all the Mighty Nein were aware of Frumpkin’s identity. The cat was more than forthcoming when he asked. 

Caduceus liked cats, like he liked all animals. And Frumpkin was something of a mascot to the Mighty Nein, arch recipient of all of their devotion and attention. He could pour himself into Beau’s lap, across Jester’s shoulders, into anyones’ hands but Fjord’s and be sure of love and pets. 

So at night, he would quite often sit up and join those on watch. The fey didn’t sleep the same way those denizens of the prime material plane did... and it wasn’t like he didn’t spend most of the day napping on one of them or another. 

If Caduceus had a watch alone, odds on he’d spend it talking to Frumpkin. 

The cat had a lot of good stories about his new companions, and about the world beyond Caduceus’ small forest. And, when Caduceus asked... well, a large amount of Frumpkin’s thought process could be summed up by one phrase: 

Fuck it. 

He never explicitly said what he was; the word “archfey” never left his lips during those late night chats. But when one night, Caduceus mentioned idly that it seemed like he’d been on a lot of adventures for a fey creature... well, he hadn’t argued. 

And when Caduceus asked about his time before Caleb, Frumpkin was more than happy to tell him about his life at court, the various scandals and intrigues. It was refreshing to rehash old drama where the other participants couldn’t hear it, and Caduceus was such a blessedly uncomplicated listener. 

He’d enjoy Frumpkin’s tales, dramatic descriptions of how he’d cleverly entrapped or thwarted his enemies, clearly riveted while also understanding literally nothing that came out of his mouth. And he didn’t mind? Caduceus rarely asked for an explanation or for Frumpkin to go back over something. He just assumed it’d make sense eventually and even if it didn’t, he was having fun. 

Which was a little frustrating to begin with, honestly. But Frumpkin soon got used to it and tried to simplify what he could. 

For such a perceptive man, Caduceus didn’t tend to worry too much or connect the pieces on the things he saw. But he definitely got the impression that Frumpkin was a lot more than he seemed. Not just another familiar. 

And he assumed that all the others knew it as well; why wouldn’t they? Surely Caleb would know that he’d managed to perform a spell much more powerful than the usual Find Familiar. How could he not know who Frumpkin was? 

He wasn’t particularly surprised to find that Frumpkin could speak Common either; he found out mostly by accident, because Jester was less good than Caduceus about interpreting his nonverbal language. Frumpkin didn’t mind speaking aloud for her, so long as there were no other witnesses, so when they took a watch together one night, it just kind of happened. 

And of course... it was Jester. 

Caduceus assumed that meant everyone knew and it just didn’t come up. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HK: These seem to be petering out around 500 words, so I’m going to call that destiny for now? When I do combined chapters (probably the next two) those should be longer.


	3. Molly & Yasha

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Technically is it knowing if you don’t know why?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HK: You know, I could save these and post them a bit at a time to give myself time to finish the longer bit.   
> Mollymauk: That implies you’ve ~ever in your life~ heard of restraint.   
> HK: Hey! I’ve definitely heard of it! I have a drawer full of restraints!   
> Mollymauk: Proving my point, and also let me in it.   
> HK: You know you have access to everything I own. 
> 
> WARNINGS!! Foul language, naughty cat 
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing Critical Role related, which we can all agree is probably for the best?

The sum total of Molly’s experience with cats was pretty much just shooing them away from the circus. There were a lot of strays in the Empire, and plenty of them would finger the carnival as a good spot for scraps or stray food. 

Orna liked them, so she’d sometimes feed them and have a little shadow for a while. 

So it really did take the others mentioning it for him to realize that turning into a bird was not normal cat behaviour. Low conversations around the fire persuaded Caleb to explain a little more about his familiar and how they worked, and basically the gist Molly got was that Frumpkin was a magic cat who could do a lot of things other cats couldn’t, could talk to Caleb, and was functionally immortal. 

None of which included the things a normal familiar shouldn’t be able to do. 

So seeing Jester talk to him, and hearing the cat whisper back, didn’t exactly phase him. He didn’t have much to say to the cat specifically, regarding him as an extension of Caleb (and the main attraction was a lot more entertaining from his perspective). 

Frumpkin didn’t actually immediately notice that Molly knew he could speak Common either. It just... didn’t come up. 

Molly made a few offhanded remarks in his direction, Frumpkin responded like a normal cat with slow blinks and grooming, and Molly assumed he was just kind of an asshole. 

A loveable asshole, and definitely something Molly very much respected. And it was astonishing how much Frumpkin could convey in a completely nonverbal manner. 

From a scathing stare to turning to pointedly lick his ass, the cat almost always got his message across. And Caleb’s, if the wizard was in a less social mood or wanted to convey something he found uncomfortable, like affection. 

Telling if it was Frumpkin or Caleb was pretty much impossible to tell from the cat end, though. 

Of course, being Molly, he was also the one Yasha went to when she had any questions about the group. He didn’t really mind being the one to ask the obvious questions if neither had an answer on their own. 

Yasha hadn’t even had Molly’s cursory experience with cats, having spent less time in the empire. She adored Frumpkin and Caleb was more than happy to have him cuddle up and share the joy of cats. 

Every facet of his behaviour delighted her (not least when it compared to something she’d seen Molly do); the purring, the soft fur, the way he’d push into her hands for more petting. Sometimes it was probably at Caleb’s behest, but sometimes he would do it on his own. 

She wouldn’t have known if a cat should be expected to talk either way, though the way she learned he did was perhaps the most dramatic. 

**

Molly was on watch late one evening as the Nein were on the road. The sky had been overcast and looming all day, and when he’d volunteered Jester had asked hopefully if it meant Yasha would join them. 

He’d shrugged cheerfully and said it might, and that he’d take a late watch. 

Jester had immediately volunteered to take it with him and they’d spent a couple of hours quietly talking while the others slept, Jester caressing Frumpkin while he sat in her lap. The fire was burning low and while the skies promised either rain or snow, neither had been delivered yet. 

“We really need to get tents,” Molly sighed, casting a look at the sky. 

“We could sleep under the cart?” Jester offered, giving the space a sceptical look. 

Molly shook his head and made a face, tossing another branch into the fire. 

“It’s not the same, you need a base tarp to keep the ground water out too. I’ll have a look next time we’re in town.” 

“You said that last time we got into town too,” Jester pointed out, stifling a giggle. 

Suddenly a pale face loomed out of the darkness, startling a scream from both tieflings as Jester toppled backwards off her seat. 

The loudest cry came from Frumpkin as he was catapulted into the night. 

“SON OF A FUCKING BITCH!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HK: Next up will be Fjord and Beau, then Nott, and then Caleb thinking he has to tell everyone, so let’s see how that goes! If there’s interest, I could also extend to Yussah and Essek.


	4. Beau & Fjord

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Is it know or is it care? They don’t care.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HK: ... In my defence.   
> Mollymauk: You’ve finished everything but the grand reveal?   
> HK: I DON’T KNOW WHY I COULDN’T START THESE FOR TWO MONTHS?   
> Mollymauk: They were waiting in 2020. Maybe that’s why they’re coming so fast?   
> HK: They’re coming so fast because they’re so short they barely exist.   
> Mollymauk: *snickering* They’re as long as they need to be. 
> 
> WARNINGS!! Not much of anything really?
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing and no one but I want Matt to hear my psychic vibrations.

Beau saw a lot of little things in a lot of different places, but she didn’t really start putting them together until she put on her coronet. To be fair to her, it wasn’t that she wasn’t smart before. 

It was that she didn’t give a fuck. 

She’d never known a wizard with a familiar before. And she’d never been one to read up on theory if it wasn’t immediately useful. 

As far as she cared, familiars weren’t cats any more than they were birds, spiders, or octopi. Anything catlike Frumpkin did was as suspect as anything strange. And she just... didn’t pay a lot of attention to the cat. 

She knew Jester talked to him, and later on she knew Caduceus talked to him. Sometimes Yasha would cuddle up with him and whisper. 

People did that with pets. 

The fact that Caleb might be listening in didn’t really seem to occur to them, but it was Beau’s permanent base expectation. She’d pet the damn cat, but she wasn’t about to tell him any dark secrets. Hell, Caleb knew a good chunk of her secrets anyway. All the Nein did. 

Not that any of them ever pressed. 

But while Frumpkin was careful... well, he could be a bit impulsive. 

One night she was awoken by a shout she didn’t recognize. 

Of course Yasha’s arrival was an immediate distraction and it could have been Molly. At a stretch. 

Sometimes he’d look at her with a strangely intense air. The first couple times she just made sure to punch Caleb in the shoulder when next she saw him. 

After the coronet, though... she started to believe the confusion on his face. And she started to wonder about just how much agency Frumpkin really had. 

Asking Jester only confirmed that something was up, not because of the way the tiefling laughed, but because of the way she wouldn’t talk. It couldn’t be something dangerous or she wouldn’t be giggling so hard when Beau asked. 

But she’d made a promise not to talk, and she wouldn’t even say who that promise had been made to. 

She could assure Beau that whatever was going on, it probably wasn’t a liability to the group. Wasn’t something that’d bite them in the ass and hurt them. 

Frumpkin himself wouldn’t have given that guarantee, but then, the fey could be held by their words. He wouldn’t exactly have said Jester was wrong either; so long as it amused him to travel with Caleb, the Mighty Nein were in no danger from him. 

As far as Fjord cared.... well, a cat was a cat, and fey cat or not just looking at Frumpkin’s fur made him want to sneeze. He managed a little better when the familiar was an octopus or a bird, but honestly, he didn’t pay enough attention to what the fey beast might have been doing to notice that anything was strange. 

He’d had a lot on his mind for the entire time they’d been journeying together, so Frumpkin charitably forgave him his disinterest. And when Caleb asked, he even stopped napping in Fjord’s armour. 

The man didn’t notice if he didn’t actually see Frumpkin leaving it, which Frumpkin felt was justification enough, but Caleb disagreed. He just wasn’t interested in helping Fjord get past what were obviously psychological impacts from his allergy. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HK: Nott’s is already done and may come up this weekend depending on birthday shenanigans!


	5. Nott

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone one else kinda either knew or wouldn’t be surprised... so it’s time for some fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HK: I was looking forward to this one so much.   
> Mollymauk: I can see why.   
> HK: And now I’m looking forward to the next one, with Caleb’s “grand reveal”.   
> Mollymauk: Oh, I am too. 
> 
> WARNINGS!! Frumpkin, that motherfucker. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I don’t own anything I just work here.

Nott? Nott definitely found out in the most dramatic way. 

Frumpkin was pretty sure by this point that most of the Nein either knew what he was, or had their suspicions. There was only so much longer that Caleb could try and keep it a secret. It was just going to be too useful to let them know. 

So he wanted to have a little fun. 

**

With the extra paranoia in the wake of Jourrael’s attack, it was easy for him to catch the goblin girl alone. Sat up for a late watch, Nott wasn’t especially surprised to see Frumpkin sauntering over. Glancing down, she reached into her pouch of jerky. 

“Let me see what I’ve got for you...” 

Frumpkin looked around the campsite, checking on each and every one of the Nein. 

No witnesses. 

Turning back to Nott just in time for her to offer him a strip of jerky, he decided it was time. Quick as a flash he snapped into his sylvan form, bent over to look the goblin dead in the eyes. 

“Nobody will ever believe you.” 

And he snatched the entire bag of jerky from stunned fingers, stuffed a piece into his mouth and turned back into a cat, dashing into the darkness with the rest of the bag. 

Behind him Nott sat, fixed in place, staring wide eyed at the spot where he’d been. 

Stunned. 

Not even sure what she’d seen, or if she’d seen anything at all. 

Her now empty hands opened and closed slowly a few times. About the third time they closed on air she looked down, a frown furrowing her brows. 

From his place in the shadows, munching on jerky, Frumpkin could see her putting the pieces together. 

Her enraged shriek woke the entire camp. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HK: Next chapter is gonna be the long one, so it will be taking a little longer :P wish me luck!


	6. End of the Show

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caleb decides it’s finally time for the grand reveal... which doesn’t exactly go as planned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HK: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MEEEE!   
> Mollymauk: Is your present to yourself being done with this fic?   
> HK: That and a new tattoo! Sorry about the number mix up everyone, I lined up the Molly and Yasha chapter to post and it went to drafts and got all fucky on me, but this is the end!   
> Mollymauk: I’m a little sad I missed this one.   
> HK: Well then you shouldn’t blood maledict with only four hit points left, should you?   
> Mollymauk: Technically that’s OOC knowledge and I had no way to know.   
> HK: ... I feel like it must translate somehow?   
> Mollymauk: Until you can prove how we’re going with my answer.   
> HK: Entirely fair. And! My tattoo artist sent me a CR post!! SHE MAY BE JOINING US!!   
> Mollymauk: If not you’re just gonna talk her ear off again, aren’t you?   
> HK: Well duh I need an artist who gets you to capture your spirit. 
> 
> WARNINGS!! Frumpkin is a little shit 
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing and no one and this AU is up for anyone who wants to play in it with me!

Caleb paced up and down in the small space in front of his bed in the Xhorhouse, muttering to himself. Frumpkin, currently in his sylvan form, was sprawled on the bed and watching him with mild interest. He’d heard many versions of the Widogast Rant before, but this was a new one. 

“Things are getting too big now... too serious, if they are actually going to release the Crawling King... we must use all that we have. All that we know. And it may still not be enough... but how can I... if they knew it all.... they know so much already... no more secrets...” 

He seemed to be winding himself into a tighter ball than usual. The charitable thing to do seemed to be cut in. 

With an amused snort Frumpkin waved from the bed. 

“I can think of one rather pressing secret you have been keeping, Widogast,” he pointed out dryly, gesturing down the line of his form. 

Startled to a stop, Caleb gave the archfey a confused frown. 

“But you are not my secret to keep.” 

It was rather sweet, really, despite being unexpected. Frumpkin blinked slowly, digesting the words. 

“You haven’t told your friends... because you think I care?” The idea had genuinely never occurred to him; not with Caleb’s already deeply secretive disposition. 

Not even remotely on the same page, Caleb frowned back. 

“You told me not to tell anyone?” He said slowly, suddenly unsure of his own memory... which was quite a feat. It had been more than a month. 

Frumpkin seemed entirely surprised at the very suggestion he’d said such a thing, which would have been surprising... right up until you knew anything about the fey. 

Unpredictability was something of a watchword. Just like inconsistent, changeable, or temperamental. 

“I don’t want word getting back to those who would recognise me, certainly. But your little friends are no threat. Do you think it would help for them to know?” Whether Frumpkin actually remembered forbidding the idea was a question only the archfey could answer, and he almost certainly wouldn’t be willing to. 

With a tangible effort Caleb forced himself to stop thinking about it. What had been said before was less important than what was being said now. 

It was entirely possible that the changing circumstances had made the archfey reconsider; it was equally possible he’d actually forgotten ever making the request. Or that he’d just changed his mind in general. 

Still, best to reaffirm. 

“So you believe that we should tell them?” 

Frumpkin shrugged, laying back on the bed and pillowing his hands under his head. 

“I believe it will make very little difference to me, but may make some to you. You will not be allowed to share this information outside of the group, of course; I trust you can assure their discretion?” 

The thought of even trying to assure Jester’s discretion made Caleb wince. 

“I... can try to ensure that no one would believe them?” He offered warily. Wording mattered when dealing with the fey. 

The smile Frumpkin shot him showed that he’d been thinking along similar lines. 

“Your friends may surprise you, Caleb Widogast.” 

Which could have meant absolutely fucking anything. 

*** 

Since there was always the chance that Frumpkin would change his mind again and Caleb was truly, deeply sick of carrying so many secrets (of which this was the least dangerous somehow), he decided not to wait. They would be more likely to believe their eyes than anything he told them. 

The ease with which Frumpkin agreed to show his truer self should probably have set off some alarm bells. It just... felt so good to be doing something, to have a plan and not be running into every little snag. 

Caleb’s heart was still in his throat when he found the Nein mostly together, all clustered in the living room that afternoon. A quick glance confirmed that nobody else was around, and... 

Well, he couldn’t imagine there would be a good time. 

Clearing his throat brought entirely too much attention, which was unfortunately entirely the point. 

“Everyone... there is something that I need to tell you, before things go any further than they have.” It should probably have been more of a surprise that they only looked curious instead of wary or hostile. 

But Caleb was already beginning to worry, the constant pessimist inside assuring him they’d see it as a betrayal, assume he always knew, had been intentionally lying to them. Stamping it down viciously, he checked for strangers one more time. 

Oh, and... 

“Fjord, if you could check that we are not being watched?” 

A little surprised, Fjord focused for a moment and called his sword to his hand, the runes glowing for a moment as the spell activated. He scanned the room for a moment, then nodded. 

“We’re good. What’s up, Caleb?” 

Closing his eyes for a moment to center himself, Caleb snapped Frumpkin down to the floor in front of him. The archfey almost certainly wouldn’t be able to resist a cue. 

“Frumpkin is... not who he seems.” 

And sure enough there was an rush of air in front of him. 

The room was dead silent for a long moment. 

Opening his eyes, he could see his friends staring at the sardonically amused Frumpkin. 

Jester and Nott exploded simultaneously, both bellowing at the top of their lungs. 

“YOU TOLD HIM! YOU SAID YOU WOULDN’T YOU SAID I COULD WATCH!” 

“YOU MEAN THAT WAS FUCKING REAL?! GIVE ME MY JERKY BACK YOU MOTHERFUCKER!” 

Abruptly realising the other was yelling, both stopped, turned to each other. Jester frowned, suddenly confused. 

“Jerky?” 

But Nott only seemed more incensed, incredulous, leaping from the couch to her feet and pointing at her partner in crime. 

“You KNEW! AND YOU DIDN’T TELL ME?” 

Equally wrong footed, Caleb felt his jaw drop. If he had to pick the two of his friends least likely to pick up secrets... yeah, it would have been the “detectives”. A quick survey of the rest of the room showed that Beau was looking entirely too smug, Caduceus was watching the rest of them with a bemused smile, and Yasha just looked confused. 

Only Fjord had had the reaction he’d anticipated, his own jaw flopping open like a fish. Before he could find words, though, Yasha spoke up in her soft, quiet voice. 

“Is this not a normal thing that cats can do?” 

Another moment of silence stretched around the room, broken by Beau’s snort of laughter. 

“Right, I forgot you don’t know shit about cats. Nah, I’m pretty sure this isn’t a normal thing for cats or familiars,” she added, giving Caleb a sharp, knowing look. 

Still looking for his own words, Caleb nodded mutely. 

From across the room Caduceus raised a hand. 

“I thought all of you already knew?” 

“YOU KNEW?!” Nott shrieked, spinning on one heel and scowling up at the firbolg. He just shrugged in return, a placid smile on his face. 

“I hadn’t seen this shape before, but it’s a very nice one.” The last comment was clearly directed to the archfey, who nodded an acknowledgement. There was a broad, entirely self satisfied smile on his lips and he looked entirely too happy about the consternation he’d caused. 

Exactly like a fucking cat. 

Nott sucked in a deep breath, puffing up ready to screech again. Stopped. Frowned. 

“Actually yeah that tracks. But YOU!” She whirled back, pointing at Jester again. “YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME! WAIT! YOOOOOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME! BACK WHEN WE FIRST MET! I FUCKING ATE THAT CAT I DON’T KNOW WHERE HE’S BEEN!” Whipping around, her accusing finger jabbed in Caleb’s direction. 

The wizard raised both hands on instinct. Funnily enough being accused actually helped him get his thoughts together. It had the comfort of familiarity. 

“I did not know until very recently, Nott... I am sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. I was... asked not to tell anyone when first he confided in me.” 

Frumpkin shot him a fond, deeply amused smile, but didn’t deny having made the request this time. A small mercy, but one Caleb was happy for. 

Jester nodded and huffed, her bottom lip definitely sticking out in a pout. 

“He asked me not to tell anyone either, including you Caleb! BUT he also told me I could watch when he did!” 

“You’re watching now, aren’t you?” The archfey pointed out, even his voice exceedingly smug. 

Jester stuck her tongue out at him. 

“Yeah but not when you told CALEB!” 

Which did bring up an interesting point. 

“How long have you known, Jester?” Caleb asked, settling on this question for now. There really wasn’t much point asking how Caduceus had known, even if the firbolg answered it would be something enigmatic and mysterious. 

And honestly, even Caleb wasn’t really surprised by that. Not as such. 

Jester though? 

The tiefling shrugged, her arms folded across her chest. 

“Since like, the first night we were on the road. The Traveler told me.” 

Which did also make sense now that it was mentioned. Before anyone else could form another question, Fjord seemed to have found his voice. 

“Just what is it that Fjord and Caduceus know, Caleb? Who is this man?” 

“Not a man, thank you,” Frumpkin pointed out for himself in a lazy drawl. Again the sound of his voice drew all eyes to him, but he just smiled and waved to Caleb. 

Said all he was about to, apparently. 

They could have the gender conversation another time too. 

Caleb sighed and ran a hand through his hair. 

“This is Frumpkin. He is the same familiar that I have always had, and apparently he is also an archfey.” 

“An archfey,” Fjord echoed weakly, apparently the only one of them who knew the gravity of the word. 

An archfey Jester had apparently been ~knowingly~ snuggling, booping, rolling across the ground, fluffing, teasing, and dangling by his paws. 

The fact that Caleb had ever been worried for himself... it seemed a little ridiculous in that light. Almost resigned now, he turned to Beauregard. 

“And I suppose he told you as well?” 

The other human shrugged again, folding her arms. 

“I mean, I didn’t know the archfey thing. But he did seem a little weird for just a familiar.” 

“He swore at me once,” Yasha added, a smile playing about her lips. “I thought it was a familiar thing.” 

Fjord tossed both hands into the air and turned, walking into the kitchen. 

“I had no fucking idea and I still have no fucking idea what is going on!” A sudden thought struck him and he spun on one heel. “But stop sleeping in my armour! You keep leaving cat hair in it.” 

“It’s not real cat hair,” Frumpkin dismissed him easily, finally crossing the room to drop and sit on the couch beside Jester. She shuffled over to make room for him, still pouting but apparently not mad enough to do anything about it. 

Or too sensible? 

It was entirely too strange to watch them interacting, to see her treating the sylvan form like he’d been with them all along. Fjord huffed at the pair of them and returned to his retreat to the kitchen, probably for space to breathe. 

Nott deflated, probably because of the complete lack of reaction to her yelling, and hauled herself back onto the couch beside Frumpkin. 

“Am I going to get my jerky back?” She asked in a decidedly resigned voice, like she already knew the answer. 

But Frumpkin considered it like it was a completely novel proposition, steepling his fingers in front of his face. 

“I suppose you could,” he mused and Nott perked up. 

“Dunno if you wanna take food from an archfey,” Beau cautioned, dropping onto the opposite couch. 

It was a fucking relief that someone else seemed to know how dangerous Frumpkin was. Although the easy way Jester and Nott accepted him... 

And as Caleb watched, Frumpkin leaned over, butting the side of his head against Jester’s horn. Without so much as glancing over, probably on automatic, her hand rose to pet at his hair and he pushed into it, shooting Caleb another smug smile. 

It’d have worked better if he hadn’t seen Jester do the exact same thing a thousand times. Butting for attention seemed to be a tiefling thing as much as it was a cat thing. She probably hadn’t actually noticed. 

Clearing his throat, Caleb looked around the group. 

“Of course, you understand that this information does not go outside the group?” 

“No shit, Caleb,” Fjord called back from the kitchen, still resigned to his dreadful fate. 

A smile tugged at the corner of Caleb’s lips. 

Three of them understood. 

Since Yasha had now approached the couch from behind and was cautiously petting Frumpkin’s hair as well, almost exactly the same way she had when he was a cat, that seemed to be all of them. 

Honestly, it had gone a lot better than he’d had any right to expect. 

Part of him had to wonder if maybe he and Fjord had the wrong response; team Pet The Fey may have gone a little too far into instantly comfortable territory, but Frumpkin was perfectly happy encouraging all of them. Perhaps Beau had it right, he decided, crossing to take a seat on the couch next to the other human. 

She definitely found the whole thing funny, while retaining a cautious distance. And absolutely no fear. 

As Caleb sat, she gave him a nudge with her elbow. 

“Imagine Trent’s fuckin’ face if he saw your familiar turn into an archfey,” she snickered under her breath. 

As always Caleb’s spine stiffened at the name, but then Frumpkin glanced over, a golden brow arching, and suddenly he knew exactly what Trent’s reaction would be. 

Foot stomping hysterics at the inevitable end of all of his plans. For nothing more than fey spite. 

And yeah, okay, that did make him laugh. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HK: And now to get some more Gentleman/Pumat/Pumat/Pumat done for a certain special friend~ wish me luck everyone, I accept birthday tribute in the form of kudos and crack headcanons!

**Author's Note:**

> HK: These probably won’t be in order, since I already have the first sentences of Caduceus’ done, so they’ll roll out as they come to me! Wish me luck!


End file.
